


Under The Same Sun

by alt_olive



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dad!Kane, F/M, First Kane and Abby fic, Kabby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-02 19:42:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11516112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alt_olive/pseuds/alt_olive
Summary: After praimfaya hits, Abby and Kane find themselves in new positions of leadership, location, and love. (Kabby AU)





	1. Chapter 1

So I've never written anything for The 100, but upon binge watching it on Netflix a couple months ago, I became a huge Abby and Kane fan. Also, I started this fic on FF on 04-07-2017, when we were midway through Season 4, so now I've changed it to an AU! 

* * *

**UNDER THE SAME SUN**

_**Chapter One: Elysium** _

It was hard to think of the physical necessities to stay alive – clean water, breathable air, and consumable food. However, it became easier as the days passed, and eventually, the camp fell into the routine of daily tasks that were needed to keep those alive, not only  _alive_  but willing to  _stay alive_. The people were happy at first for the shelter Octavia had found with Lincoln's book. In a time where there was no speculation or even ideas of survival, she'd decided to spend her last living moments in the comfort of his art. However, upon finding a half-finished map of the  _colored city_  she had rushed to Kane.

They turned the colored city into an underground metropolis named Elysium. Offices were made into rooms; deserted shops were turned into small mess halls, classrooms, meeting rooms, and they even had a small gym space with old treadmills, stationary bikes, and free weights. Every colored track led back to main city hub they liked to call Athena. Athena was where they gathered for food, ventured into deserted arcade rooms, and celebrated any holiday to lift spirits. This worked for the first year, but the community became restless because they weren't allowed out of the underground because Luna didn't save them all.

Bone marrow was the key. But time had not been on their side, and only a few could become night bloods. Roan included.  _Azgeda_  turned remnants of Farm Station into a shelter, and  _Trikru_  took Polis, converting the tower into a shelter as well.

The world was silent outside of buildings and abandoned train stations. Mother earth had confined the people who destroyed it to white washed buildings, artificially freezing rooms, and no natural light. It was easy to live on the Ark when you didn't know what the sun felt like on your face, or what the ground felt like in between your toes. But once you got a taste of Earth and then it shunned you into your cave, it was simply impossible to not yearn to leave the safe confines of your home. Some gave up on the constant innovations made to the underground world (except for the atrium which the whole community agreed might make living underground more feasible), to keep it radiation free, and ventured out only not to return.

In the chancellor's quarters, looking down at the Athena courtyard, it was quiet. The glow of the dull yellow lights were blocked by poorly sewed black curtains, and Abby's digital black watch buzzed against her left wrist. She peaked to find it telling her that it was seven in the morning, but time here didn't run on sunlight, or starlight, it ran by technology, and how very sad that was. She pulled the white comforter over her head, snuggling deeper into the warmth they'd created for themselves throughout the night. But when her foot reached out to his side, it was empty.

The sound of the shower slowly pulled her out of her sleep, and she dragged her groggy form towards the only other room within theirs. She felt the steam hit her face when she opened the door softly, and she leaned against the doorframe watching him stand still under the waterfall of slightly blue water. They had to inject the water system with chemicals that could kill any harmful substance, but not damage their human skin. A problem that both engineers and doctors lost sleep over for a quarter of a year.

Abby looked at his head hang, with his shoulders staying broad, keeping him upright. His hands were at his sides, and she watched the water run down them and hit the tiled floor. There was no curtain, no wall, no glass door to shield his naked body from hers. So she did what was second nature at this point – she lifted his worn out black t-shirt over her head and dropped it with her watch on the floor. She tiptoed into the lifted circular shower floor, with the drain smack in the middle, and one single metal shelf drilled into the wall with their rations of artisan soap.

He felt her cool hands on his back and didn't jump. Instead, he took a step forward, allowing her access to the warmth of the water. She wrapped her arms around his torso and pulled him against her chest. Feeling the slow rhythm of his heart against her palm, a feeling she hoped to never lose under her touch. After a long minute, he turned and nuzzled their noses together, slicking back her hair with his hands.

"Abby," he spoke in a low tone as his hands fell on her shoulders.

She shook her head side to side before he could say anything else, "if you order me to stay in medical I won't forgive you." His eyebrow shot up at this, and she smiled lightly, "well I wouldn't forgive you  _easily_. I would be  _very upset_." She poked his ribs softly, to make her point.

"Just because we can heal, doesn't mean we don't still feel pain under the radiation. If something goes wrong-"

"Are we still living under 'if something goes wrong' terms Marcus? I'm going, that's that." She watched him wrestle with his lower lip between his teeth, "and  _you're_ going, so there's no way you can justify asking me to stay behind."

His eyes met hers in the foggy whirlwind of the shower; they were stern and determined to have their way. He moved his hands down to rub her clavicle with his thumbs, "you know the more I read about kings ruling and presidents leading, as I live as chancellor, the more I believe that the women they loved were the decision makers in the end."

"Marcus,"

"Abby there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Don't take that power lightly. You and I both know we're still in this together."

She watched his hair fall into his eyes, and her watch buzzed again letting them know they'd spent ten minutes simply standing in the shower. He ran a hand down his face and shook off the final feeling of tiredness, and they began helping the other wash up.

Without many words, they dressed, exchanging brief touches, and lingering glances. It was easy like this. When they could imagine themselves in another place not scorched by man. Secretly they'd both imagined their time in this room as if they were in Arcadia. Never the Ark. That time hadn't belonged to them as partners. But here in this room, underground, they let their imagination run more freely than any time in their life. If it wasn't so God damn morbid, they'd have one huge clock in their central station counting down the time until  _everyone_  could step foot outside.

Even though a year had passed, they couldn't show exactly what the state of Elysium had become. A place where the efficient and the dignified, lived under one roof, shared the same bed and loved the other undeniably. It was a common grounder theme, but the Ark had operated as a democracy. Led by a diplomat, led by a servant of the public.

The biological modification Abby was able to create in Becca's lab with Luna's blood was not seen as an act of science but as an act of God. No doctor … no scientist, since the first commander, had assimilated the grounder culture like Abby had. She was seen not only as a mother, not only a doctor but as a patron of God. A title of which she did not accept happily or even seriously. But the ground had left her no choice in the matter. He was the efficient, and she was now the dignified.

He had the power to make and execute policy. He was answerable to the people. She, the dignified, gave significance and legitimacy to the efficient and is answerable only to the divine. The two institutions, dignified and the efficient, only work when they support each other. When they  _trust_  one another.

Upon hearing Indra explain this, and suggest an old (realistically ancient) ceremony for Abby shortly after, she had practically offended the surviving leaders of the ground with her loud laughter during the confrontation in Elysium.

"Anointment? For what?" Abby had her hands on her hips, smiling incredulously between Marcus, Indra, and Roan.

"You are the reason we are in the position of power within our clans Abby," Roan spoke defensively, "one day we're mortal, and the next we're night bloods. People don't understand the science, they understand fate."

"In times like these," Indra continued, "people don't need facts, they need faith. We," she paused looking at the four leaders in the situation room, "are all night-bloods now, and that's what will keep our clans together until our own take our place."

Abby had looked to Marcus for solace, only to find a face of emphatic stone. Her reluctant acceptance, of a ceremony that would happen with or without her consent, did not stop him from trying to explain the benefits of the anointment.

"Abby, you'll be the face of hope," he started running a hand over his beard.

"No I'll be the face of religion," she spat, "and I'm not sure if you remember Marcus, but that was more in your blood line." As the words slipped from her mouth, she regretted them immediately. How dare she bring up his family in such a tenacious tone? Marcus physically took a step back from her, not quite believing she'd said something so vile to him.

"Marcus I," she reached out to him and he dodged her touch, "I didn't mean-"

"Yes you did," he cut her off coldly. Then as if a flip had been switched, he went from being Marcus to being chancellor Kane. "But you don't have a choice," he spoke sternly.

"What?" Abby rose her eyebrow, "I always have a choice."

"Abby you're no longer in a position to only serve as a physician. You never have been, and you know that. You took a seat as a counselor on the Ark, and you took your place as chancellor within our first year on the ground. Gage your humanity and focus on the bigger picture."

"I am focusing on the bigger picture!"

"No, you're not! You're taking this personally."

"It is personal! It's me being  _associated_  if not emblematically  _joined_  with some divine being!"

Abby turned her face from the small group, not being able to look Marcus in the eye without showing how hurt she was that he wasn't taking her side.

"It's purely symbolic Abby," Roan spoke up lowly behind her, "and the oath itself has been influenced by the Hippocratic Oath you took as a doctor and the Coronation Oath of monarchies that lived a hundred years ago."

"Coronation?" a voice but Abby's questioned suddenly. She didn't have to look at Marcus to know that his eyebrows were furrowed in unease and his muscles were tensing at the term. She could feel his stare burning into her, wanting to answer questions and concerns through their ability to speak without words. But she did not turn; she simply let him watch her, as the word  _coronation_ rumbled around in her mind.

"We didn't have kings and queens on the Ark," Abby said matter of factly, "our people won't participate in a ceremony centered on God."

"On faith," Indra corrected her once more, "faith and religion are not synonymous."

The room goes quiet, as they let Abby sit on the statement. The low hum of electricity ends when she speaks up aggressively, "Okay so I participate in the ceremony, then what?"

"You become  _Skai Haiplana_ ," Marcus murmurs under his breath, before nervously running a hand through his hair. "We rule as a constitutional monarch: that is, you are Elysium's head of state, but your role, like Roan said, is mostly symbolic. You represent  _Skaikru_  on state visits and on ceremonial occasions. It was a common theme in the 21st century."

"But this doesn't benefit Elysium, it benefits the peace between  _Skaikru_ ,  _Trikru_ , and  _Azgeda_  … which then benefits Elysium," Abby comes full circle and grows quiet at her realization.

"Big picture," Marcus whispers, this time he reaches out to grab her hands in his and pulls her to stand in front of him. Abby lets her head fall onto his chest, and without hesitation, he places his nose at the top of her skull. She wore her hair down today, and the smell of her soap is still lingering in her scalp. Roan and Indra respectfully begin a side a conversation, as Marcus whispers to Abby, " _ai hod yu in_."

"I love you too," she replies, knowing a decision has been met.

Weeks later, she stands in front of Indra's daughter, in a faded blue gown with thin straps, a deep V-neck, and several stripped layers that flow, making her look ethereal. Marcus watches her as she avoids all eye contact with anyone but him. He knows she hates being the center of attention, but God she looks beautiful.

" _Abi kom Skaikru,_ " Gaia begins.

"The divine established kings and queens, and gave them lands, and charged them never to live dishonorably, and by no means to be cruel, but to give mercy unto him that ask of mercy. To use treatment to help the sick according to their ability and judgment, but never to purposefully injure. To play God is to dishonor God. To suggest a path far from fate is to break the oath of those before you. Will you maintain and preserve inviolable the settlement of  _Skaikru_ ,  _Azgeda_ , and  _Trikru_ , as by law established by land and sea?"

The room fell silent; a feather hitting the ground could be heard. Abby's eye flittered to Marcus's and with one small smile from him; she closed her eyes and answered, "I will."

Gaia's hands gently took Abby's and she continued, "Be thy hands, anointed, with the ground _._ " She feels a brief coldness from Gaia's fingers leave her, only to be replaced by soft warm dark soil. Abby's eyes open as she watches Gaia dab a pea sized amount in each of Abby's palms.  _"_ Be thy breasts, anointed, with divine oil." Gaia wipes her hands with a cloth provided on the pedestal next to them, and dips her ring finger in the thick oil before raising it towards Abby's bare chest, and traces a small circle. "Be thy head, anointed, with the shore _._ " Gaia once again wipes her hands clean, and dips her finger in the bowl of fresh water, tracing the same small circle on Abby's forehead. "As kings and queens were anointed."

Abby felt sick as Gaia finished the ceremony by stating in a clear loud voice," _Abi Skai Haiplana._ "

Now they both stand fully dressed, by their bedroom door. Abby had tied her hair back into a ponytail and made sure she had the basic medical supplies they might need to help others outside the walls of Elysium. This was their first mission to see if they could find any survivors since  _praimfaya_. It was going to be a small exploratory group, only herself, Kane, and two other guards. Although both Bellamy and Clarke offered their assistance, the chancellor had insisted that they needed to watch over the city while they were gone. The operations team had planned a two-day trail that would lead them to the Blue Mountains and back. They knew the land to the east of Elysium well, but the west was still a mystery. The mountains may have sheltered some, and resources could be allocated and traded amongst communities to ensure overall survival.

He held her hands in his and leaned down to kiss her gently. Out there, he was Chancellor, in here he was just Marcus. Out there, she was Dr. Griffin (and to her disdain a Queen), in here she was just Abby. On cue, a knock disrupts their peace, and Kane opens the door to find Bellamy prepared to make his final case for why he should be on the rescue trip as well.

"I hate to say this sir," Bellamy begins as they reach halfway to where the garage holds the Rover.

"Then don't," Kane smiles cheekily, as he pats Bellamy's shoulder and earns a look of irritation.

"Should Abby really be on this trip? I mean now that she's a …" his voice falls as both adults eyes shoot up at him.

"Abby's the best doctor in Elysium," Kane finishes. The rover comes into view, as does Clarke. Who unlike Bellamy has accepted the chancellor's' wishes, and simply wanted to say goodbye to her mom and wish her safe travels.

"I didn't just give up my role as a physician when I became …" Abby begins.

"When you became Abby, Queen of the Sky People," a teasing voice chimes from under the Rover. Raven pushes herself out and wipes the grease on her pants before shooting them a classic wide grin. "There's a title I thought you'd never have," she continues, "I definitely thought Clarke would sooner or later, but hey the apple doesn't fall far from the tree right?"

"Alright Raven that's enough," Kane said lightheartedly. It was all in good fun, and it felt nice to be able to laugh and poke at the other in their time underground. They all did a quick round of hugs, went over the details of when they should be returning, and what should be done in the case of an emergency. But to be honest, they'd all dealt with much worse than an exploratory rescue mission. Bellamy fell in line as head of the guard, and Clarke per usual stood in as interim leader.

"Autobots roll out," Raven smiled as she made a circular movement with her wrist in the air, signaling the guardsmen who would accompany Kane and Abby to take their position in the front of the rover. As Kane helped Abby into the rover he spoke on last time, "we'll be okay."

"I know," she answered him even though she knew he was assuring himself, and not her.

Raven spoke one more time, "we really need to stop showing the Transformers movies on Thursday nights. Just a thought you should ponder on as you travel. Be safe!" and then the door closed, and they were on their way towards the Blue Mountains.

Patrick and Rodney were the only older guardsmen alongside the "children" who had been given night blood and had therefore by default been chosen to accompany them on the trip. They drove down the rails of the forgotten Amtrak stations, watching the few lights dispersed through the dark trails ever so often light up the inside of the rover. Finally, they hit the end of the road, and Kane radioed Raven to open the main door.

The Earth had changed, it was brighter, different colors, and yet still held the same terrain. The first day of travel they found no clans, no people, no sign of anyone who hadn't found shelter within Elysium, underground Polis, and the sheltered Farm Station. The next day, however, neither Kane nor Abby were prepared for.

"The path gets narrower sir," Patrick said from the front seat. Kane peered out the window through the space between the two guards.

"We walk from here then," he declared, "stay close together, and don't forget the tablet Rodney, we'll need the weather map. I don't care if we'll heal, I don't want to put us through the pain of black rain if we can avoid it."

They hesitantly took a step outside the rover. The Earth felt damp and cold; in a previous life maybe they would come to appreciate the vivid colors around them. But knowing that radiation had caused the alterations of nature … they fell silent at the blue-green grass. They inhaled the musky scent of the thick trees, both still skeptical that they truly wouldn't be able to survive without the proper equipment. The two guards took their place in front of the chancellor, as the security detail was always required. Abby felt Kane's hand softly on her back before he proceeded to follow Patrick.

"Rodney," Kane said as he caught up with the smaller guard, "stay behind Abby. She doesn't leave your sight, understood?"

"I can handle myself," she argued clipping the waistband of her backpack around her. Inside was everything she could pack without weighing herself down, or  _slowing_ herself down in the case they had to run.

"I believe you," Kane smirked at her, "Rodney doesn't."

Rodney widened his eyes, as Kane threw him under the bus with the clearly untrue statement. "Ma'am I never –"

"I know Rodney," Abby said as he shyly let her walk ahead of him, "Chancellor Kane is just saving his own ass."

Marcus tried hard not to turn back and chuckle at this. It was no secret to anybody in Elysium just how much he cared about Abby. Hell, he'd taken the chip so she wouldn't die. God forbid anyone ever take Abby for ransom because they'd have him in the palms of their hand. It was crucial Abby stay safe, not only for Marcus's own peace of mind but for Elysium's security and stability. However, he'd never again let anyone but her know exactly how much control she held over him.

Patrick led the group through a trail that seemed to keep the same structure made by man many years ago. The air started to become dense around them as they walked deeper into the woods. Abby tried hard to take deep breaths, drawing in as much oxygen as her lungs would let her. A brief memory of her in primary school on the Ark appeared in her mind as she stopped walking momentarily. She could see herself doing jumping jacks while only breathing through one small straw. The reason was to show children what it felt like to have asthma, so they would understand what a fellow classmate was going through. Abby could never quite place if that exercise impacted her decision to become a doctor, but this moment clearly stayed with her for some reason or the other.

"Doctor Griffin?" Rodney softly asked as Abby leaned against a large pine tree. She felt the green moss underneath her fingertips and told herself that they'd find clean air soon.

"I'm fine," she shook her head, "let's keep going."

"Chance-" Rodney began to call out. His mouth was quickly covered by Abby's hand.

"You a tattle tell now? Come 'on, they're getting far more ahead of us," she nodded her head in the direction of Kane and Patrick. However, at the sight of a clear blue patch of sky between the trees to her right she stopped in her tracks.  _If you pass out, you're no good to anybody_ , she thought.

"Tell Chancellor Kane this way seems easier on our lungs," she told Rodney, gently patting his shoulder pads before walking in the direction of the small haven.

"But we're going off the path Dr. Griffin, we should-"

Her eyes shot up to meet his, in a battle she knew she'd win. His mouth shut and with the rise of her left eyebrow, Rodney took off to tell the others the path had changed. Abby tightened her ponytail, before walking towards the section of trees that wasn't covered in darkness. The air became inviting the farther she walked, drawing her slowly deeper and deeper. Her eyes closed at the scent of lavender in the air, and then the ground fell from her feet. Abby felt her insides fly upwards, and hardly had time to brace herself for the solid landing. She'd fallen inside a cave, God knows how.

She groaned inwardly, drawing in quick breaths not to strain her bruised lungs. She was paralyzed on the ground floor, quite literally.  _God forbid I want to breathe. Stupid fucking ground. Stupid fucking radiation._ Her eyes could barely register shadows and shapes in the dimly lit cave. Her mind not yet allowing her body to move, it was frightened and frozen. The most common reaction put in moments of fear, was paralysis - not fight or flight. A common mistake she'd learned in her psychology class on her time in the Ark. It was a basic course all training physicians were required to take. Jackson had acquired a taste for learning more about the human mind and mental illness, mostly because Abby had too and had urged him to learn more. As doctors, the first instinct is to help a body physically, but Abby had learned early on the importance of mental health in overall medical practice.

Her head ached and pounded all at the same time. She could barely register Kane's frantic yelling from the hole in the ceiling of the cave. From her view, he was at least thirty feet up. How the hell had she not passed out?

From her peripherals, she saw a shadow skidding on the edges of the cave. It was quick and quiet. She pulled her body to move upwards, but felt no connection from her brain to muscles yet. If this is what sleep paralysis felt like, she would never wish that upon anyone.

Kane's voice became clearer as she closed her eyes and tried to calm her blood pressure. "Abby?! Abby can you hear me?!"

His sentence faded when she focused on counting to ten, then backward, and then repeated the process. It only occurred to her when she heard a crack in the distance that she wasn't alone. Although she felt no eminent danger, she remembered the figure barely out of sight.

"Marcus," she felt her lips murmur. Sure that it came out more as a groan then a coherent name.

She began to feel the tips of her fingers returning to her senses, and her nails dug circles into the dirt ground. It was frustrating to feel alive and not be able to move within your means. In a fleeting moment, she felt for Raven and her ability to be strong enough to move past lost nerves. Then suddenly she felt a trickle of water fall on her face, and cool washcloth smacked her in the forehead. It covered her eyes, and messily was being dragged back and forth, from temple to temple.

Her body shot up at the contact of cold fresh water, and her eyes opened in time to see a small figure jump back, releasing the wash cloth to fall down her side and to the floor. Abby blinked once, and then blinked again to make sure she hadn't activated hallucinations. But the same small figure, covered in dirt, with wide dark chocolate eyes stared her in the face.

"Abby?! They're fetching rope from the rover! Are you alright?" Kane yelled as he peaked his head down the hole. From his view, all he could see was Abby sitting up right. The boy, Abby gathered maybe four years of age, was hidden in the shadows, away from Kane's view.

The child's oatmeal colored shirt was a mess of dark green grass stains and hardened mud. His pants clung to his skinny long legs, and Abby felt her heartbreak at his bare feet practically black from the Earth. He had long honey-curled hair passed his shoulders, and lips the color of pink when the sunset meets the sky. His dark eyelashes exemplified his frightened eyes, and when Abby got on her knees to be eye level with him he took another step back.

God had finally granted her voice back and she spoke in a soft tone, "Hi." Her headache was subsided by her determination to gain the boys trust. She reached out to extend her hand, and the boy's chest lifted and fell in hyperventilation.

"It's alright, it's alright," she soothed as she sat back on her calves, placing her hands on her lap. She cautiously took a glance around the cave to notice there were few possessions - blankets on the floor, a natural water pond, one book, and some decaying fruit. How long had the boy been here? Alone?

Abby wracked her brain for the grounder word for mom or dad and cursed her lack of knowledge. Instead, she looked at the little boy and smiled, then place her right hand over her heart and said, "Abby." His lips stopped shaking, and she pointed to herself, "Abby."

Then carefully she pointed at him, "you are?"

The boy watched her finger cautiously, slowly connecting what she was asking him. She repeated her process one more time, and reluctantly he took a step forward and stuck out his right arm enough for her to notice a silver bracelet- that resembled an old medical tag on his wrist. Without means to scare him, she leaned forward and peeked at the bracelet to see rough engraving on one side.

_GABRYL_

Abby felt a tear run down her cheek, and she forced herself to stay composed as she placed both hands over her heart and said "Abby," and then lightly grabbed his wrist and traced over the name while repeating, "Gabryl."

The boy felt her soft hand, and leaned into her touch. Then before she could say anything else, she heard the end of the rope hit the ground, and immediately Kane followed. In an instance she stood up, and the boy hid behind her legs, digging his face into the back of her right thigh. She felt his fingers gripping onto hers, pulling her away from Marcus, and she felt bad forcing them in their place.

Kane felt the ground swiftly under his feet and at the sight of Abby sighed loudly in relief. He began his stride toward her and she put up a hand to stop his motions. He was caught off guard, and quickly reached for his gun on his waistband, and pulled it out.

"What's wrong Abby?!" He said worriedly, doing a quick 360 turn of the cave with his gun in hand.

She felt the boy whimper hysterically into her back, and she hissed at Kane, "put that away now!" Marcus' eyes searched hers for answers, and when he watched her honey eyes drift down to her right hand, he noticed the small one clutching it for dear life. He made haste putting his gun back safely away in its belt.

He looked at Abby and she looked at him, both communicating without saying a word. He knew she was in no danger, but was instead protecting someone who thought they were. Kane ached to reach out and swipe the tears that were now glacially flowing down Abby's cheeks as she closed her eyes, once more trying to find the will to be strong. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and beckoned for Kane to come closer cautiously.

He gradually knelt on the ground in front of Abby and patiently waited for the child to make himself known. It pained Abby to gently pull the child out from her side and kneel down next to him. Both adults were now at eye level with the boy, and Abby pointed at herself "Abby," then at the child, "Gabryl," and lastly at Kane, "Marcus."

The boy looked from Kane to Abby and then back at Kane. He studied the man before him, running his eyes over his head of dark hair and rough beard. Kane smiled softly, observing the small boy in return, and feeling the emotions Abby had not yet finished registering. Slowly the boy stuck out his right hand to show Kane his silver tag. Marcus looked at Abby, and then with her small nod, took the boys fragile hand in his. Kane's large thumb ran over the engraving and he looked up at the boy and said, "Gabryl."

Kane looked around the cave once more and noticed the bare minimum of living supply as Abby had. He met her eye and she spoke lowly in his direction, "Kane I … I don't …" she couldn't find the words to connect her fast thoughts to her slow-moving lips, "he might speak grounder. And I … you know more than me," she swallowed. Gabryl inched closer to Abby, watching her face curiously. At the sight of Kane nodding his head in understanding, Gabryl looked back at the man who had a neutral expression on his face.

Kane sat back on his feet, and rolled his shoulders back, emulating the appearance of openness, safety, and comfort. Then he said, " _nomon_   _en_   _nontu?_ "

Marcus tried to say the words 'mom and dad?' casually, but Abby saw the back of his jaw clench and his Adam's apple bob in nervousness. To their surprise the boys eyes lit up at the familiarity and then ever so quickly his face fell. Abby reached for the boys hands and held them in hers, then all too soon he pulled her in the direction of the far ends of the cave. Abby heard Kane following them heavily, and soon enough they were at the corner of the cave with barely any light from small holes in the earth. Gabryl bent down and showed Abby and Kane a small pile of dirt with a single dead flower, and gold chain on it. The ground underneath the dirt looked different then the rest, it had been dug up and then filled. But not by a boy as small as he. Gabryl then lifted a small finger and pointed at the holes in the wall leading to the ground above them.

Abby knelt by the grave and grabbed the gold chain in her hands. It was dainty, thin, and beat up. She felt water drip on her hands and looked up to see where it was coming from, only to realize they were her tears. Inwardly, she cursed herself for her emotions. She felt Kane's body against her back then, kneeling beside her, "Abby."

It was enough for her to pocket the gold chain, and stand up, straightening her army green pants and tightening her ponytail. Kane followed suit, and reached for her neck, bringing their foreheads in for a quick recovery moment she desperately needed. He kissed the top of her head, before turning to the quiet boy. He extended his hand and Gabryl slipped his fingers in Kane's rough palm. Marcus gulped the feeling in his back throat away, as the child hand felt so fragile within his. They let Abby lead the way back to the rope and large hole in the ground.

"Chancellor Kane!" A tough voice yelled from the top of the cave.

"We're okay Rodney!" Kane answered.

"Sir there's reports of black rain coming our way, we need to retreat back to the -" before Rodney could finish his sentence there was a loud cackle of thunder in the distance. Gabryl jumped, and then buried his head into Abby's stomach, shielding his ears with his small hands.

Kane turned to Abby and spoke clearly, "I'm going to climb up. Make sure Gabryl is holding on to you, against your hip, and we'll pull you up. Okay?"

"Okay," Abby agreed as her hand found the head of curls shaking against her abdomen. She continued to run her hands through his oily hair, picking out leaves and small twigs that had made their home in Gabryl's tangled mane. When Kane had almost reached the top she bent down and held Gabryl's shoulders with enough force to make their urgency known, "up" she said pointing at Kane who had just reached the top. The boy looked at the long length of the rope and another boom of thunder made him shake his head rapidly, he pulled Abby further into the cave. She dug her feet in place and pulled him back, cleaning the tears from his cheek, watching them smudge the dirt into mud marks across his soft skin. "Gabryl it's okay." She wracked her brain and then by divine intervention Marcus yelled down in Trigedasleng "Gabryl, up is safe. I promise."

Abby kept his frightened face in her hands and then scooped him up against his will. He wrapped his gangly legs around her small waist and buried his head in the crook of her neck. Abby ran over to the rope, wrapped her own legs around it, and gripped it with dear life. She was grateful Gabryl was very light, but her medical expertise knew it was because of lack of food and water. Abby felt blisters forming in her palms, and found herself counting to ten once more. She could hear the grunts of the guardsmen pulling them up, and by the time she'd reversed back to zero her and Gabryl were lying on the ground.

Kane pulled them to their feet, and she grabbed Gabryl's hand making their way towards the rover. She turned to find Kane contemplating something, pacing in short steps side to side. He was trying to figure something out in his head, and his furrowed eyebrows proved it.

"Marcus!" she yelled.

He looked up and said, "one second, I need to .. I need to," and then he bolted down the wooded pathway to the right. Abby ordered one of the guards to go grab him and bring him to the safety of the rover. Patrick, "Patch," ran after Kane but found him no more than a hundred feet from the hole in the ground. His hands were in his hair pulling, as he cursed the woods. Before Kane was a corpse … practically a skeleton … right above the small holes they'd seen inside the cave.

"He didn't want Gabryl to see him like this," Kane whispered, "he knew … he knew how detrimental the image of his dead body would be on his child. How ugly death is, how  _final_."

Patch watched as Kane ground his fists against his sides in attempts to calm the pins and needles running through his bloodstream.

"Sir, we have to go now."

"I know."

With one last grounder goodbye, Kane and Patch ran back and were met halfway by the rover roaring towards them. It stopped and gave enough time for Kane to open the back door and slip in, while Patch took shotgun.

Kane wasn't even granted a moment of recovery before Abby growled, "where did you go?! There was no time to go looking for answers!"

She immediately regretted her tone when Kane's face stayed down, looking at his hands on his knees, " _Nontu_."

Gabryl squeezed his eyes at the sound of thunder this time rain followed and they heard it hit the rovers ceiling in a calm rhythm. Rain still sounded like rain, but they could no longer enjoy its natural tranquility. Kane felt the rover move beneath him and gave orders to head back to Elysium. Their trip would end with Gabryl.

The rover drove loudly, crunching branches, forcing its way through leaves, and then it stopped abruptly. Rodney turned his head back, "Chancellor, the rivers water levels have risen. I'm afraid we'll get stuck if we try to cross now sir."

Kane ran a tired hand over his face, "we'll wait until it stops, and the levels have gone back to normal. We don't know if the terrain around our route is safe."

"Yes sir," Rodney nodded.

Unfortunately, the storm had grown and poor Gabryl was practically drenched in his own tears from sobbing into Abby's neck. She held him in her arms like a baby, trying to calm him with her delicate medical fingers running through his hair. But the lighting had turned an odd purple light, which even terrified her. Gabryl's cries weren't loud, and had not disturbed the two large guardsmen napping in the front. But Kane and Abby tried desperately to calm the small boy.

Kane offered him water, to which he accepted hungrily. But the storm had control over this boys courage, and he quivered at every thunder clap and flash of bright light. Kane found his attempts were doing nothing and settled himself next to Abby, for moral support. He felt if anyone would now what to do it would be her. She was a mother, and in sadness, he had never been a father to a child. He let this thought convince him he'd be of no help. He was wrong, but he'd learn that later.

Abby spoke softly to Gabryl, "just listen to my voice, honey. Just hear my voice." She knew he probably knew not what she was saying, but the sound and vibration of her speaking was looking to make the difference.

She remembered singing to Clarke as a baby, and sometimes as a child when she woke up from a nightmare. And as a doctor it occurred to her that the soft lull of a song would help Gabryl calm down. But Abby wasn't alone in her quarters, in space, with all the necessities available to calm her child. She was in a rover with three grown men, a post-traumatic stressed child, and acid rain keeping them enclosed. Hesitantly she glanced to make sure Rodney and Patch were fast asleep, and then looked at Kane's drowsy form. He had laid his head on her shoulder, and in this moment she was at the center of holding both boys up.

As his eyes reluctantly fluttered closed, Abby looked down at Gabryl who was calming his breath as much a four year old could. Every so slowly and every so quietly she began singing a song to him, that was not a traditional lullaby by any means. However, the gentle chorus and soft music played in her head as the words flowed from her lips. It was not a happy song, or even a song for children. But as the rain became her backdrop, she felt the lyrics echo from her throat.

_Well the birds start their screaming_

_As you let go of my hand_

_And old words lose all meaning_

_As morning descends_

Abby almost stops when Gabryl's palm reaches out to cover where her clavicle meets her throat. She can feel the vibration from her voice against his hand, and wonders if maybe that's why he put it there.

_Fickle night you are a liar_

_And you made a fool out of me_

_You mistook my love for desire_

_And you set my demons free_

Kane shifts against her, and she momentarily freezes. The sound of rain has become the soft strum of guitar strings she hears in her head.

_Don't let the sun steal you away_

_Don't let your mind speak louder than your heart_

_Don't let the sun steal you away_

_Don't let your mind speak louder than your heart_

_Well I know that you're scared_

_I know, for I am too_

_I'm scared of hurting someone_

_The way I've been hurt by you_

Gabryl's breath becomes deep and elongated. She strokes his face as his eyes close. Her heart lightens at the innocence of his face as he enters a deep sleep. Abby cringes at the thought of him sleeping alone, in the cold, for God knows how long. At least in here, he is warm in her arms. He is safe.

_And I don't want to touch you in the night_

_If I cannot hold you in the day_

_But as the sun slowly rises_

_Your love for me decays_

_Don't let the sun steal you away_

_Don't let your mind speak louder than your heart_

_Don't let the sun steal you away_

_Don't let your mind speak louder than your heart_

_Don't let the sun steal you away_

_Don't let your mind speak louder than your heart_

_Don't let the sun steal you away_

_Don't let your mind speak louder than your heart_

She finishes her song, and the world around her has become delicate and still. The thunder has reduced itself to a low rumble a couple miles south, and the lighting has stopped. She peers out the window, and the rover is still full, and all the boys are asleep.

"Not bad Doctor Griffin," Patch mumbles before turning his neck to the other side to continue his nap. She doesn't utter a response and instead smiles to herself.

"Another," a voice murmurs in her neck. She turns her head slightly to find Kane's eyes looking up at her, and she ducks to kiss his nose lightly.

"I'm afraid my singing ability is only limited towards frightened children," Abby blushes, looking back down at Gabryl. Kane stretches and then holds out his arms to mimic how she is carrying him. She quirks her eyebrow up, and then he speaks "your arms must be exhausted. He's not exactly a baby Abby. Get some rest, I'll make sure not to wake him."

Abby adores the look of care in his eyes towards Gabryl. But hardly wants to give the boy in her arms up, even if she can feel the aching soreness already created.

"Marcus," she frowns looking down at the boy while she takes a hold of his left hand, slowly running her finger over his engraved name, "he's malnourished. He's dehydrated. He has scars under all this dirt from healed radiation wounds. Who knows if any infections have been spread or created in his body due to lack of hygiene-"

"Abby," Marcus starts getting up to kneel in front of her and Gabryl.

"He hasn't uttered a word to us!" she hisses interrupting him, "what if he's mute? What if he's partially deaf? I don't know any of these disabilities for sure, and it's a two-day trip back until medical! He could be suffering from several vitamin defe-"

"Abby!" Marcus grabs her face in his hands, "he is safe with us. He is alive. The rain has cleared. The river will return to normal in no less than an hour. We will be back in Elysium within 24 hours."

He leans in over Gabryl, making sure not to hurt the boy with his elbows, and touches their foreheads together. Abby nods barely an inch, and closes her eyes, as she feels his hands roll down her arms and slide underneath Gabryl to replace her tired limbs. When she opens them, Kane is softly making his way back to Abby's side and sits down watching Gabryl not move an inch from his sleep. This time it's Abby's turn to lay her head on his shoulder.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**THE LOVE WE STOLE**

_Elysium, 1 Day Later_

The rover pulls up to concrete doorway, and Kane walkies Raven they're safe. Gabryl sits idle on Abby's lap, playing with her hands around him. His little fingers run across the lines in her palm, roaming from the life line to the heart line in a cycle. Abby secures her chin over his shoulder, watching his basic amusement with happy eyes. He turns to her then and motions to his throat, a sign he's picked up to tell them he's thirsty.

Abby's been cautious with the amount of water he's been allowed to drink at once, knowing full well if he drinks too much it won't help his condition and he'll end up feeling worse. Without speaking, Kane hands Gabryl his bottle and the boy takes it willingly and begins chugging the remnants of Kane's supply. As soon as Abby's hands go up to slowly take the bottle away from him, he hands it to her with a knowing look. He's already learned when enough is enough. Abby can't help smiling and playfully tapping the tip of Gabryl's nose with her finger.

Suddenly the light from tunnel become brighter and the sounds of the community are no longer muffled. Kane can see Bellamy, Clarke, Jasper, Monty, and Raven waiting for them in a big group circle at the rovers' garage. They look mildly concerned, they'd been too far to keep in communication with and they were back a day earlier then planned. As the rover comes to a halt in front of them, Gabryl jumps up at the sound of all the teenagers half yelling and half discussing both what happened last night in the youth club, and why the adults got back early.

Bellamy roughly pulls the trunk open to let Kane and Abby out, and Gabryl wraps his arms around Marcus's legs, shoving his face into his side. Quick to act, Kane bends down to pull up Gabryl. He lets the child wrap his skinny legs around his waist, and sling his arms to his shoulders, and hide his head in the crook of Kane's neck. He can feel Gabryl shaking with anxiety; the world around him is louder than his time spent in the quiet cave.

"Marcus we need to get him to medical," Abby says sternly as she makes her way off the rover. Clarke is at her side in a moment, "Mom? Why are you guys-" her eyes meet the small figure clutching into Kane's frame, covered in dirt, "oh."

"Bellamy get Octavia to meet us in medical," Kane says softly as he and Abby make their way hastily down the smaller tunnels. Bellamy nods without speaking, walking quickly in the direction of the rest of the community.

"Was the child alone?" Clarke asks trying to keep up. The others follow out of curiosity.

"We believe so," Abby answers shortly.

"How do you not know? Were there more people around him?" Clarke continues, reaching for her mother's arm.

"We don't think so," Abby says as she continues walking a few steps behind Kane. She peers over his broad shoulders to see Gabryl trying tenaciously hard to block out the noise around him. His small hands have covered his ears in a sorry attempt.

"You don't think so? Mom you can't just steal a kid." Clarke says austerely.

Abby turns then, stopping Clarke and the rest of the young group in her tracks. "We didn't steal him, Clarke. He was alone. He was scared. He hasn't eaten or drank much for God knows how long."

"What if he's part of a kru?" Raven interjects.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" Clarke instigates.

"He understands grounder. That's all we know. So if you want to be helpful find Octavia, cause I'm sure she knows more Trigedasleng than all four of you combined," Abby says sternly, making brief eye contact with all of them.

"Mom what about his parents? They'll go looking for-"

"His parents are dead Clarke. That four-year-old boy showed us the grave of his mother," Abby's voice cracks and she sees Monty and Raven's face fall, "and the dead body of his father. Okay?" She inches forwards, her eyebrow lifting, in attempts to stop her eyes from watering and having enough of explaining to her daughter her choices.

Clarke slowly nods, comprehending that the bond Abby has already made with the boy far passes doctor-patient. She watches as her mom jogs down the hall to catch up with Kane and the small boy.

"Does the kid have a name?" Jasper yells.

With no answer given, the gang follows Abby, Kane, and the mystery child.

"He's a birthright nightblood," Monty whispers as they all jog in a pack down the faulty and damp halls.

"You don't know that," Raven accuses.

"How else did he outlive his parents in the radiation?" Monty quips.

"That's if we assume what they asked and what the boy showed them matches up," Clarke interjects, "if he belonged to someone else's kru, they'll come looking for him."

"Kane wouldn't be that reckless," Jasper shakes his head trying to pick up the pace of the group.

"Alone," Raven says what's on Clarke's mind, "he wouldn't be reckless alone. But come on, we all know he's wrapped around Abby's finger."

They make it to the medical wing and watch as Abby opens the door at the end of the hall for Kane and the boy. Just as Jasper is about to stick his foot in, it slams in his face. Abby maintains clear eye contact with him through the window, as she locks the door knob.

"Well doesn't matter if the kid has a kru, I'm sure he just found new parents," Jasper murmurs as they all try to get a glimpse of Gabryl sitting on a medical bed.

He's shivering from the purposefully freezing room, and Abby drapes an aluminum blanket over his shoulders. Gabryl's eyes are squinted in the fluorescent lighting, and Abby finds the antibacterial wipes to clean his forearm enough to grab a blood sample.

"We need to test his blood as soon as possible to check for any deficiencies," she says as she reaches for the small syringe.

At the sight of the needle, Gabryl scoots back on the bed. Kane steps in front of Abby and speaks "Abi laik fisa. Aiop klir." (Abby is like a healer. Watch). He turns to Abby then and holds out his forearm. She looks at him with wide questioning eyes, knowing very well he isn't the biggest fan of needles either. Abby tries not to smile at her man who was always an insufferable teddy bear when it came to blood donations, attempting to be fearless in front of Gabryl. She gently pokes his skin and finds a nerve, extracting what is now night blood. Kane tries not to stare too long at the syringe, knowing very well he'll become sick at the sight. But soon enough Abby removes the needle and gently places it down on the metal table beside her.

Gabryl crawls over the bed and peers down at the black liquid trapped in a small tube. Slowly he looks at Kane and reaches for his arm. He takes a few moments to examine the small puncture on Kane's forearm and then closes his eyes, sticking out his own skinny arm.

"Brave," Kane says in grounder, a coy smile playing at his lips. He's proud that his attempt to persuade the boy worked.

Abby gives Kane the same look from their first time in Polis. She'd just told him he was born to lead, and he'd stopped her from being overbearing towards Indra in hopes to see Clarke immediately. "See," she had said knowingly. How long ago that seemed.

Gabryl instinctively reached with his other hand to take Kane's fingers in his palm and squeezes his eyes and hands. Abby grows soft at the sight, and momentarily she gives herself a long enough pause to capture the image and lock it up in her head for good.

Marcus watches her take a new syringe and bring it close to Gabryl's forearm. They both know what they're going to see when she begins to extract blood, but neither are fully prepared to make that final assumption. They hadn't spoken about it the whole ride back from the Blue Mountains. Both of them were too concerned with the sanity of the boy, rather than the reasons why he was alive. But as a doctor, chancellor, and human of Earth for the few years granted - they knew Gabryl was a nightblood. They were proven right when the small tube slowly filled with dark matter.

Marcus was grateful that Gabryl's eyes were closed, his hand still wrapped tightly around Kane's larger one. He looked down at Abby to find that she was already staring up at him. Without words, they made a promise to protect the child, to love the child, and to teach the child about his new world underground.

Abby took the last of the blood she needed to run tests and placed the syringe next to Marcus's. Kane ruffled the boys' messy head of hair, and Gabryl peeked one eye open and then the other until his smile matched the one as wide as Kane's.

"You did it!" Marcus congratulated the boy. Abby returned from scavenging the supply closet for colorful Band-Aids she was sure they found while first vacating the underground. It was lucky that transportation vessels such as Elysium had countless shops that once sold first aid kits, Band-Aids, and over the counter medication. In her hand, she had a small red Band-Aid and with a grin, she showed it to Gabryl. But before she could start to rip away at the paper protecting the adhesives, the small boy shook his head and pushed her hand away. Abby's eyebrows furrowed, every child loved receiving bright Band-Aids in Elysium. Some even faked "boo boos," that's why she'd hid them, and now Gabryl was telling her no?

If a child could look offended, that was the expression on Gabryl's face. He pointed dramatically at Marcus's arms that were crossed across his chest. Abby looked at Kane confused. Only to have Gabryl reach over and pull an arm out from Kane's position. He pointed to the light brown Band-Aid, and then furrowed his eyebrows back at Abby. As if asking, get it now?

"Sassy kid when he gets comfortable," Abby murmured, repressing the desire to roll her eyes. Marcus failed at hiding his chuckle with his hand and earned a smack from the doctor before she grabbed a matching Band-Aid nearby.

"He's strong," Kane said absent-mindedly puffing out his chest.

"Well he shouldn't have to be," Abby replied too quickly for comfort. The aching image of a far away memory coming in like a hot flash and then disappearing back in the part of her brain where she left the darkness.

Kane sensed the tremor in her words and asked, "Abby?"

As she gently placed the Band-Aid over the needle puncture, she shook her head and looked up at him, "he needs a shower so we can assess all wounds, I'll have Jackson test the blood. Come on Gabryl."

She reached out for the boy and he gladly climbed onto her, resting his head on her shoulder as he lazily played with the end of her ponytail.


	3. Chapter 3

**WILD EYED**

_ELYSIUM, ONE MONTH LATER_

_Fortunately I have enough of you_

_You say it's not where we are_

_It's not what we choose_

_Looking out from all that you have built_

_With red skies I will drift_

Marcus shoved open the large metal door, "I bring oats and berries, or berries and oats, whatever you prefer!" he announces loudly trying to balance small brown packages in his hand. He sees Abby emerge from the bathroom drying her hair with a towel, clad in a neutral colored tank top and pajama shorts. Before he can speak she nods her chin in the direction of their large mattress. Smack in the middle is a mixed pile of their comforter and three pillows, creating a small blob, that happens to be giggling.

Abby grabs the food from Marcus's hands, and they share a cheeky grin before Kane speaks up in a confused tone, "Have you seen Gabryl?" A muffled laugh comes from the poor hiding place.

Kane steps up behind her as she begins unpacking the assortment of fruit and oats on the small metal table. His fingers roam from her shoulder gently kneading into some knots, before sliding down her arms and squeezing his arms around her causing her to drop the remaining food on the aluminum. Marcus bends down, and lifts Abby off the ground, causing her feet to fly up in front of her and laugh "I haven't seen him! He must've disappeared!"

The laughter grows from the white comforter, and Marcus spins Abby around, holding her back flush against his chest and his arms wrapping tightly around her front, "How does a little boy just disappear?" he questions her.

"I don't know! I don't know!" Abby continues to giggle until, Marcus playful tosses her onto the bed, careful enough to land her only a couple of inches from the little boy in hiding. He climbs up on top of her, and when he turns his head to the right he sees a peek of curly honey brown hair.

"I don't believe you," Marcus gently pins Abby's hands to her side, "I think I'll have to tickle you until you tell me the truth!"

Abby's eyes grow wide, "No! No, I promise -" but then his fingers begin attacking her sides and she's squirming through fits of laughter underneath him.

"Just tell me where he-"

"He disappeared!"

"Abby," his fingers are stopped by little hands coming to protect their surrogate mother. Suddenly Marcus is being tackled by Gabryl, who really has no weight or power against Marcus, but still, Kane falls back allowing the little boy to climb on top of him, saving Abby.

"There you are!" Marcus exclaims, but Gabryl begins trying to tickle Marcus's ribs.

"Say you sorry," Gabryl attempts to tickle him harder, and Abby watches as the small child comes to her defense.

"I didn't do anything, I was looking for you!" Kane laughs as the tiny hands keep being dodged by the squirming grown man.

"Tickles hurt! Say sorry!" Gabryl starts jumping up and down on Marcus's chest and Abby suppresses her giggles with one of the pillows. "Tickles hurt!" the four-year-old repeats and as his finger points back at Abby she fakes a frown and lies back down dramatically on the bed, earning a tiny shove from Kane's foot into her thigh.

"Okay, okay!" Kane says raising his hands up, "I'll tell Abby sorry."

Gabryl leans down and touches noses with Marcus, his eyebrows furrowed together in the meanest of stares a young boy can give. Slowly he moves off Marcus, and sits with his arms crossed, waiting for the older man to apologize. Kane groans and grabs Abby's calves pulling her a little bit up to him, and then grabs her thighs sliding her body the rest up to him until she's straddling his waist and his arms wrap around her back. Her hands find the top of his shoulders, and her hair tickles his cheeks.

" _Moba mi_   _hodnes [sorry my love]_ ," he speaks softly leaning in to kiss her top lip.

"You're forgiven," she replies kissing the bridge of his nose, "but what would I have done without my little  _gona [warrior]?_ " she asks turning to the little boy watching them through the mess of curls on his head.

Gabryl crawls in between them until he's awkwardly in Abby's lap, he grabs her face in between his hands and pulls her forehead to his, as he's seen them do so many times to each other, " _Oso throu daun ogeda [we fight together]._ "

A small silence falls over the room, and Kane reaches out to rest a hand on the boys back. Without another thought, Abby pulls the boy further into her arms and kisses the top of his head over and over again. Marcus feels his legs going numb, due to the weight of both of them on his lap, but can't find it in him to roll them off.

Gabryl worms his way out of Abby's hold after a while, like any normal child would when under extreme cuddles, and bounces his way off the bed to the table with fruit. They eat, and laugh, and forget that they're underground. Gabryl tries to stuff four berries in his mouth, to out do Marcus who unknowingly eats his berries two at a time, and earns a stern look from Abby who sticks out her hand for him to spit out the half eaten berries.

"We do not follow what dad-" Abby catches herself quickly and swallows before continuing, "what Marcus does all the time, okay honey?"

She avoids meeting Marcus's eyes, knowing they've dodged this conversation since bringing Gabryl to Elysium.

Gabryl rolls his eyes, "But he  _yuj_  [strong]."

Abby nods, " _sha [yes],"_  then takes a quick peek at Marcus who looks like he's having a difficult time finding the perfect reaction to Gabryl's compliment and Abby's stern parenting, "Marcus is  _yuj_ , Gabryl, for you and for me."

Gabryl nods and reaches for one of the half chewed berries Abby let fall back onto the table, popping it back in his mouth turning it dark blue. Then they're disturbed by a loud and impatient knock at the door. Gabryl stuffs two more berries in his mouth to Abby's dismay, and rushes to the door, pulling it open with all his strength.

"What's up little dude!" Jasper yells, with a more calm Monty at his side, "You ready to go to the movies?"

Gabryl nods his head rushing back into the room to find his shoes, leaving Monty and Jasper awkwardly at the threshold of the chancellor and doctors room. Kane helps the excited boy slip on his shoes before walking over to the two teenagers, a stern expression on his face.

"If you lose  _my kid_  I'll put you on janitorial duties for a year if I don't hurt you first," he threatens lowly enough for what he believes only the two teenagers would hear. However, Abby tenses a few feet behind them not oblivious to the clear choice of Marcus's words. The terms fly through her head,  _my kid_. He said that.

"Nothing but the best security service for the little guy," Monty quips in shoving his hands further into his pockets.

"Thank you Monty," Marcus smiles playfully before clapping Monty's shoulder with his hand. Gabryl takes Jaspers awaiting hand, and looks back at Abby, "we'll have him back as soon as the movies over, promise Doctor G - or Queen G - not sure what you go by-"

" _Be safe_  guys," Abby cuts him off, coming to stand beside Marcus. His hand finds its way normatively on the small of her back.

"You sure you guys don't want to see  _Moana_?"Jasper continues, "It's only its fourth premiere of the month! The tunes are very catchy -"

"And meaningful," Monty interjects once more as Gabryl ops to hold his hand as well, stuck between both teenagers.

"We would one hundred percent be there with Gabryl, but we have to plan for the summit meeting tomorrow with Indra and Roan," Abby kneels down to kiss Gabryls head goodbye.

"Alright, we'll tell Clarke and the rest you say hello," Monty counters.

Then Jasper starts jumping up and down singing, " _AUE, AUE!_ " Gabryl follows suit jumping up and down giggling, and then Monty jumps in with Jasper singing their favorite song from  _Moana_ , " _We set a course to find, a brand new island everywhere we roam, aue, aue!_ "

Laughing Marcus and Abby watch as Jasper pulls Gabryl and Monty down the hall towards the medium sized room in the town center that will project Moana in exactly ten minutes. As the door closes behind them, Abby states, "so just how excited do you think they'll be when we change the children's film to  _Lilo & Stitch_ next month?"

"I just hope we don't get complaints from the rest of the families," Kane runs a hand over his head as he heads over to the bathroom, "seven teenagers claiming Gabryl as their ticket into the theater is a little … questionable."

As he pulls his shirt over his head, Abby answers him, "they all wish they had more time with him."

"Even Octavia," Marcus murmurs and as he shrugs off his pants he continues, "she says his English is improving, but his first instinct is to speak Trigedasleng and I believe she's trying to keep it that way."

Marcus disappears into the bathroom turning on the shower, and Abby begins to clear out the table and place their charts, tablets, and maps for discussion when he gets out.

"So you're saying worse case scenario he's bilingual?" she shouts sarcastically and receives a muffled chuckle due to the rush of water falling over him.

Gabryl was being given special teaching lessons from Octavia, due to his advance speech in grounder and unlike the other children, his  _second_  language was English. Abby felt the ache in her chest when she remembered his first day in class with the rest of the children. Of course, there weren't a large number of children where each class was split up by age, so Gabryl was grouped learning with first language English speakers from ages four to seven. He had left the classroom halfway through the day in a fit of tears and anger when the teacher couldn't understand that he  _barely_  understood. It took Clarke, Bellamy, Octavia, and Raven helping out his distressed parents to find him hiding inside the Rover. His face was flushed red from crying, and he threw a tantrum when Marcus and Abby tried to get him out of the automobile.

It wasn't until Octavia joined the group fresh out of breath from jogging across the underground city, that they were able to understand his broken Trigedasleng in between sobs.

"He says that we speak too fast with crazy words that don't make sense," she explained to Kane with concern, not a glint of amusement in her voice.

Marcus had nodded, and later that evening he and Abby had asked Octavia if she could take a few hours out of her day to teach Gabryl the regular curriculum in Trigedasleng but also help work on his English. She very quickly obliged, and now Gabryl and Octavia spent five to six hours every day in her quarters and occasionally the (now finished) atrium.

Gabryl learned at a faster pace in these one on one sessions, and now Abby and Marcus were able to integrate both Trigedasleng and English into their everyday conversation. Marcus, of course, being better at grounder speech, and Abby began learning more grounder through Gabryl and Marcus than she had ever had before. But as much as they took the young boy under their care, Abby became hesitant at calling themselves Gabryls parents. The image of his mothers grave, and the thought of his fathers' corpse made her feel sick at the intrusion of her and Marcus upon this little boys life. But she knew that Marcus and her loved Gabryl - with every nerve and cell in their body. And she also knew that Garbyl loved them.

The shower shut off and Marcus walked out of the bathroom with the towel slung low on his hips. He made his way sluggishly over to their bare bones drawers and pulled out one of his few pairs of underwear. Abby watched him slide it on and make his way over to the bed, fixing the pillows and blankets to their proper place.

"I thought we were going to -" Abby voiced from her seat at the metal table.

"We can explain the numbers as easily as we always do to Indra and Rowan," he waved his hand in the air, "we are going to talk about that thing you don't want to talk about," Marcus looks up at her wide eyes and makes his way onto the bed, "the one where I call Gabryl my kid and you turn into a bag of tenseness a few feet behind me."

Abby's head falls into her hands in a breathless laugh, and she looks back up at his waiting eyes, "come here," he tells her softly patting the spot on the bed next to him.

"I think this would be a conflict of interest Chancellor," she teases him as she saunters over to her side of the bed, "if we discuss diplomatic matters on a mattress."

"I won't allow Gabryl to become diplomatic," he states pulling back the blanket for her to join him, "and you're avoiding our smaller problem by oddly bringing up our bigger one."

Abby climbs into bed and finds her spot leaning against his chest as he wraps his arms around her. "Well, I think we'll have to discuss the bigger one for sure before tomorrow's meeting."

"Well, I would like to discuss the smaller one."

"Marcus," she growls.

"Abigail," he counters in her tone … a little more playfully.

She runs a hand over her face, and sighs, "I would love to call Gabryl my son you know that," she whispers.

"Then why don't you?" he kisses the top of her head, "You know he adores you right? He protects you. He sees you as a maternal figure Abby."

"Well the same for you Mr. Strong," she lets her head fall back on his shoulder.

"Then I think we should start to address each other by mom and dad to him," he speaks softly and watches as her body coils into itself.

"He's … he's had a mom and dad, Marcus," Abby whispers, letting her feet dig into the side of his calves. Quietness falls over them, and Abby absentmindedly plays with Marcus's free hand, as she awaits for his rebuttal.

"Abby look at me," he gently pushes her away enough to look down into her almond shaped brown eyes, " _we_ will always remember his parents. But he's so young that we'll have to remind him of how we found him in that cave when he's older.  _We're_  going to be the parents he remembers.  _You_ will be the  _mom_  he remembers. And if we keep telling him to address you as Abby and address me as Marcus, I think it will complicate things more for him."

"I know, I know," Abby shakes her head and rolls her shoulders back, relieving built up stress.

"You want to pay respects to his parents, I understand that. But he's  _here_ now, and we will remind him of them when he's older."

"Okay, you're right … I don't know why I was being," Abby's voice fades.

"You care about him," Marcus smiles, "it's as simple as that."

"I  _love_  him Marcus," Abby shakes her head a tear falls down her cheek, "I know it's only been a month, but I … I couldn't handle if something bad ever happened to him again."

Marcus nodded bringing Abby back into his arms, squeezing her tight. He sensed the change in conversation from the smaller problem to the bigger problem. So he ran his hand through her hair the way she liked and thought of how he should say what was on his mind properly.

"No one will come for him-"

"While he's a child Marcus," Abby cuts him off abruptly, "no one will come for him while he's still young and innocent. But the moment they believe he's able to donate blood for transfusion, he'll start a … war."

"Roan and Indra won't allow that chaos," Marcus consoled her, "not by risking that they fall as leaders of their kru's."

"So what?" Abby begins wildly, "We try to hide that he's a birthright nightblood for as long until he falls and scrapes his knee in front of the community?"

"Yes," he turns to her sharply, "that's exactly what we have to continue to do."

Abby climbs off the bed, her nerves not allowing her to enjoy the comfortable space with Marcus. He watches as she runs a frustrated hand through her hair and crosses her arms in front of her chest, "If only I could make turned nightbloods serum work, we wouldn't have to lie-"

"You did the best you can!" Marcus stops her from blaming herself and gets up to stand in front of her. Her lips purse out and he sees her bite her bottom lip between her teeth.

"For as long as birthright nightbloods are the only way to turn people's blood black, then Gabryl will never be safe," Abby clenches her fists against her skin.

"We will make sure that Roan and Indra are on  _our_  side tomorrow," Kane grabs her shoulder with his hands, steadying her paces to a halt, "Gabryl will be safe, you know I'll make sure of that Abby."

Abby stares up at his eyes, and she's never seen them shine with such fervor before. She opens her mouth, " _Oso throu daun ogeda [we fight together]._ "

* * *

I apologize for any rambling sentences, incorrect grounder language, and typos. Comments are always welcome.

Until the next chapter xxx


	4. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four: Sun Comes Up_ **

Indra and Roan sat idly in their seats, not enjoying the wait for the  _Skai_  Chancellor and Queen. The meeting was supposed to begin five minutes earlier, and without much regard for each other, the two leaders fell into a premature silence. The soft sounds echoed off the concrete walls, and the cold air lulled from the vents. They heard the heavy metal door open, and both stood up immediately to shake the hands of the  _skaikru_  leaders. But Marcus walked in alone, and let the door shut behind him.

"Abby will join us shortly," he answers their unspoken question as he clasps their hands in welcome, "please sit."

They begin their meeting by reviewing the food sources, the water resources, engineering and mechanical issues of all three  _kru's_  homes. They do not discuss any immediate dangers to the health of their citizens via viruses and pathogens - because they need the expertise of a Dr. Abigail Griffin.

"Is she attending to a patient?" Roan asks.

"Not quite," Marcus answers with a small grimace tugging at the ends of his mouth, "that's what I wanted to discuss."

Indra watches as Kane toys with the best opener in his mind. She can see him look at the door and back at his audience, and repeat the process a few more times. Her patience has run out.

"Kane, my friend, I've never seen you at such a loss for words," Indra says leaning forward on the table. This earns a quick nod from Kane, almost like a fidget, and Roan watches the Chancellor carefully. The  _Azgeda_  leader would always remain skeptical under any and all circumstances. God, forbid he ever fall in love.

Kane begins his story at the start of the rescue mission, describing the cold and barren cave, and then describing its dead and living inhabitants. Indra doesn't miss when his mouth turns a fraction upwards at its ends when he begins the story of the little boys first month underground. Roan realizes quickly, that Kane has built a relationship with the child far faster and incredibly stronger, than most relationships he's seen in his life. He envies the love that eludes from Kane onto this boy because his mother never showed an inch of tenderness in his life. Had anyone in the Ice Nation?

"Now I've told this story leaving out one thing," Marcus states as he forces himself to maintain eye contact with both leaders, "because this issue  _does not_  change the age, the personality, or the terrible environment Gabryl has been a victim of."

Indra and Roan take a glance at each other before Kane unloads the secret that kept Abby tossing and turning in bed, that made him think and overthink courses of action, that threatened the little boy's life.

"Gabryl is a night blood."

A silence falls over the room, a reaction Marcus did not prepare for. He chides himself for giving the other leaders little credit on their ability to control their temperament.

"Who knows?" Roan asks abruptly.

"Abby, Jackson, and Octavia," Kane answers quickly.

"That's two more than the amount that should know Kane," Indra chimes in.

Kane nods, but can't bring himself to open his mouth to agree with her verbally. He understands the predicament he places them all in by keeping Gabryl in Elysium. He understands the absolute state of anarchy that could be caused if the community learns Gabryls blood status. But, he also understands the overwhelming affection and care the little boy had been given can not be replicated anywhere else. He understands the total state of despair Abby would fall into if Gabryl was taken from them - or worse - the total state of despair, he would fall into.

"I trust Octavia to teach him," Kane starts as he gathers himself to stand up from the group at the table. Indra and Roan's eyes follow him as he continues, "and when the time is right," Kane leans over the table, letting his hands grip the metal edges, " _train_  him accordingly."

Roan speaks again, "And Abby has agreed to this? She's not exactly supportive of resources towards defense or combat training. I can only assume she'd be even less supportive if she believes this child to be her own."

Kane's eyes fall to his knuckles, which have reluctantly turned white from his grip. He sighs, "Abby will be supportive when she sees his training is necessary."

"And you believe Octavia to be the best choice for this?" Indra shoots at him aggressively, "I have no doubt she is an excellent warrior Kane, I taught her myself, but I should train the boy." She stands then, unable to continue sitting when the situation at hand has her blood running in all directions, "and we should begin as early as now."

"Hold on," Roan speaks as he pushes himself off the flimsy metal chair, "Azgeda has shaped far better warriors than  _Trikru._  I will send my best-"

"No!" Kane states sternly as he hits the table with his palms, "It must be Octavia. She has been teaching him for months now and their bond will only grow stronger."

"Kane, if the boy is ever found out it won't matter how-" Indra starts only to be cut off.

"I  _trust_  Octavia."

The room once again falls into a tense silence.

"And should Gabryl ever be in danger, I know she would do everything in her power to protect him," Marcus adds.

"And using Octavia as his trainer when the boy is a teenager, having already been his mentor for school, will make for a much easier conversation to have with Abby. Won't it Kane?" Roan questions with a smirk pulling at the side of his mouth, "She must know he can't be protected by others forever, right?"

"He's just a child," Kane murmurs, "to Abby he's just a child."

"And to you?" Indra asks curiously.

Kane runs a hand through his beard, before looking at both leaders. Without blinking, and without weariness in his voice, he speaks, "He's  _our_  child. And, I understand the reality of his life underground, don't question my ability to make rational choices friends. But, I will not allow Gabryl to be trained until he is thirteen."

"His skills will suffer from such a lengthy delay!" Indra cries.

"It is decided Indra," Kane speaks diligently, "and you are invited to be apart of his sessions when it is time, but I am being crystal clear, Octavia is in charge."

Roan speaks softly then, surprising the other two, "Well let's hope his training is never needed. You have my word, that I will keep the boy's blood a secret. Not only for the sake of the child himself but for the safety and the stability of our kru's."

"Thank you, Roan," Kane nods and then turns to Indra.

"Kane, you have my word. But before this conversation comes to an end, I must emphasize once again the importance of training at an earlier age. And I say this not to secure the safety of our kru's but to secure the safety of your family."

Marcus feels a lump gather in his throat at Indra's words. Your family. It sounds so concrete, so real, he almost can't believe it. For all the terror and unbelievable restlessness, the ground had brought him, it had also changed him. His three a.m. thoughts viewed his change as this - give or take Gabryl learning about the three states of matter this exact same week could have stimulated this crazy and probably scientifically wrong idea. Him on the ark was gas, the ground changed him to liquid, but Abby … Abby shaped him and made him the solid matter he was today.

So with the extra hand that reached out to squeeze his shoulder, he made sure to thank Indra for her kind words. Half expecting Kane to leave after that, the two leaders followed him as he walked towards the door. However, he turned and stopped them in their tracks with his hand.

"One moment please," he smiled and then disappeared out into the hallway.

Abby sat on the concrete floor outside the meeting room with Gabryl sitting in between her legs. He was looking down at the tattered up children's book in his lap. He seemed far more interested in the illustrations than the large sized font. At the sound of the large metal door opening, both Abby and Gabryl raised their heads immediately. Kane met Abby's eyes instantly, and she knew then the meeting had gone well. Without thinking, her lips met the top of Gabryl's head and she pulled him further back against her chest.

"Come on Gabryl," Kane smiled bending down to let the little boy climb up and latch onto his neck, his little legs swinging around to lightly grip his waist, "we're going to go meet some of daddy's friends."

Gabryl raised an eyebrow, a trait Marcus believed he was getting from Abby far more than anyone else. "I alweady know all your fwends," he started and then brought out his fingers, counting them off one by one, " 'tavia, Jasper, Monty, 'ellellamy, Raven, and Clarke."

"Hey, you forgot me," Abby gasped.

"No," Gabryl turned to her then, "Jasper tell me that mommy and daddy were not fwends sometime."

Both Marcus and Abby share a look over Gabryl's heads, pledging to kill Jasper in their spare time, and then Marcus speaks, "Mommy didn't like daddy for a little bit of time when they lived in space."

"And for good reason," Abby pipes in, letting a small smile slip.

Gabryl takes turns looking from one parent to the other, "but now you mommy and daddy, so you like each other a lot.  _Sha [yes]_?"

Abby and Marcus laugh then.

"I guess I like her a lot," Marcus rolls his eyes playfully, "I guesssssss."

"Oh go float yourself," Abby lightly shoves him, both adults now giggling.

"What does that mean?" Gabryl asks innocently.

The two parents stop laughing then, only for a moment, before Marcus now bellows and Abby's eyes go wide in horror as she covers her mouth.

"I think it's time to go meet our friends now," Marcus turns to open the large metal door. But the sight of two new faces only prompts Gabryl to try a different approach, " _Heya [hello]_ , what does go fwoat yourself mean?"

* * *

A short chapter, apologies! (I'm barely learning this whole AO3 thing, but I will be posting both here and on FF). As always thanks again for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**It Is Well**

If you passed by the Chancellor and doctors room early that morning, you wouldn't have heard a sound coming from the inside. That was something to be grateful for with the thick cement walls, and heavy metal doors. If you needed to find peace, you could find peace. If you wanted to blast music so loud your eardrums would burst, but you didn't want anyone else to suffer, you could do that too. If you wanted to have alone time with with your partner, at the crack of dawn, because your surrogate daughter took your surrogate son early that morning to watch the sunrise from the atrium, you would  _definitely_  take advantage of the privacy of cement walls.

So at six forty-two a.m., without guilt, Abby groaned into Marcus's neck. She felt his fingers grip at her waist, and look up at her like he always did. Never failing to make her blush, and hide her face in the crook between his shoulders and throat. The bed creaked beneath them, and they'd forgotten the pile of children's books at the corner of the mattress until it slipped off and slammed on the ground.

Her head whipped up and they both chuckled at the mess of paper on the floor.

"Are they going over Rhetoric today do you think-" Abby started asking before Marcus leans up to engulf her lips.

"Right sorry," she murmurs against his beard and falls back into the rhythm above him. He watches his faded black t-shirt slip off her right shoulder, and bunch around her hips. Her fingers feel small but meticulous, as they roam up his chest and grab his shoulders for support once more. He lets his hand travel up the front of her belly and slide until he cups the underside of her breast, and then he traces a path to her back, slowly running his fingers up and down her spine.

She feels him move forward and bring both arms to wrap around her back, while softly sucking at the exposed skin from his fallen t-shirt. The change of position, makes Abby's movements faster, and the room begins to fill with laboured breaths from both adults. Marcus's hands slip then to grab at the meat that has formed on the sides of her bottom, and he kneads at it with rough pressure. Abby's sure he'll leave bruises, but  _when's the next time anyone but Marcus will see me in my underwear? There's no pool underground,_  she thinks.

She feels her body building up, and a light coat of sweat beginning to form on their shared bodies, and just as she goes to tug on his hair to stop him from leaving a mark on her collarbone - there's a knock at the door.

"Abby!" it sounds like Jackson.

Her movements still above him and Marcus whispers, "shhh they'll go away." He attempts to distract her by taking her earlobe in his mouth, and though this causes her to suppress her groan and shut her eyes, she whispers back, "it could be about Gabryl."

"If it were Gabryl it would be Octavia outside being far more aggressive with our door handle," he murmurs lowly in her ear, trying to start her rotations above him again. Marcus acknowledges her fear for Gabryl, but he also knows the boy is fine, and that they haven't been intimate in weeks. Abby looks back from the door, that hasn't made a sound in seconds, and then down at Marcus. His hair has fallen over his eyes, which are dark with need. Just as she begins her movements again, enjoying the feeling of him while lifting her shirt to go over her head.

 _Knock knock knock knock,_ "Abby!"

Marcus sighs as he only gets a peek at her abdomen before the shirt falls back down. He feels her push off him and fails at pulling her back. As she successfully lifts herself from him, they both groan at the loss of contact where they burn with lust.

Abby scrambles to find her tossed shorts, and kicks her panties under the bed, before slipping on the black cotton pajama bottoms. As Jackson begins knocking again, she swings the door open and Jackson's eyes widen with surprise.

"Oh, sorry I didn't mean to wake you-"

"Jackson you were knocking on my door insistently," she mumbles, "I think you meant to wake me."

"It's Louisa," he motions towards the end of the hall, "her asthma attacks are occurring more frequently, and I have no more solutions."

Abby nods in concern, "Go pick aloe from the farm quadrant and meet me back at medical. I'll be there in ten."

Jackson nods and takes off down the hall. Before Abby can close the door shut, she hears the blankets rustling on the bed. Marcus has stood up, and begun walking around the metal bed frame, and toward the bathroom.

"God, I love you," he murmurs pulling her into his side, and kissing her deeply, before letting her go. They both can't avoid his still hard length, and she looks down before looking back up at him, "Do you want me to…?" she insinuates, both as a lover and a physician who knows the pain of no release.

And his chest flushes along with his cheeks, "You have duties, Dr. Griffin. I can take care of this, don't worry."

Abby's eyebrow raises in curiosity just as he begins turning the corner of the bathroom she lets out, "What do you think about … "

"Don't worry, memory is my friend," his laugh echoes in the shower before it turns on.

"Memories like?" she yells in an embarrassingly high pitch.

"Well, what pops into your head?" his voice is suddenly crystal clear, and his body appears out from the bathroom doorway. Abby's eyes fall, and she bites her lip. Flashes of her chest flush against the cold wall in the medical supply closet, their pants around their ankles, her head thrown back against his shoulder, and his hands tugging at her waist.

She shakes her head, embarrassed, "I have to go!"

As he disappears into the shower, for real this time, Abby begins looking for clothes she can change into. Within minutes she's lacing up her boots, and putting her hair in a half down half up braid. It's not until she slides on her medical coat, that she hears his soft muffled grunts from the bathroom, and feels her center warm. Fighting the urge to look into the shower, she kicks herself out of her bedroom.

* * *

 

The atrium is quiet as Octavia and Gabryl lie on their backs, watching the warm colors shine through the thick glass.

"I can only imagine if you laid on the floor of the Louvre at sunrise, it would look like this times a million," Octavia smiles.

Gabryl turns to her, "What's that?"

"Right," Octavia shakes her head realizing she's talking to a five-year-old. She picks up the small tablet sitting at her side and pulls up a picture to show Gabryl. His eyes roam over the large glass triangle in the courtyard of the museum.

"Woooooww 'Tavia," he gasps before rolling onto his back again, his soft curls serving as a pillow for his head. Octavia Leans her cheek on her hand and stays on her side facing the small boy. His skin still healing from the grounds many marks, but his aura never failing to be anything but bright. "I will take you when I'm big 'Tavia," he whispers.

Octavia fights back the nerves that ring through her body and the sick feeling in her stomach, as she ruffles Gabryl's hair, "It's across the ocean  _leyos skat [funny boy]_!"

"I build  _floudon [boat]_ ," he shrugs, and Octavia can't bring herself to tell him otherwise.

Their silence is interrupted by the loud class of young children holding hands in a line, and teacher trying to shush them. The middle-aged woman sees Octavia and Gabryl lying towards the north-side of the atrium, and waves hesitantly, to which Octavia waves back. She stops her students and they create two rows of five and four on the south-side.

"ONE, TWO, THREE," they hear the teacher yell, "eyes on me!"

Gabryl sits up in time to see the class answer in unison, "One, two, eyes on you!"

" _On, tu, ai en yo_ " he whispers in Trigedasleng. And Octavia sneaks him a fist bump.

"Okay who can tell me what activity we're doing today?" the teacher asks.

Hands raise up above the students head quickly.

"Ella?" the teacher chooses a small girl in the front of the row, her black hair pulled back into two high buns. The little girl answers with a toothy smile, "yoga!"

The teacher confirms the answer is correct and begins leading the class into simple stretches and positions. Octavia doesn't fail to notice the curiosity and equal determination not to look eager that consumes Gabryl when the class begins to move in one flow. He decides to retreat behind her, as she sits up.

"Want to join?" Octavia whispers to him. Her hair is pulled into one single french braid starting at the top of her head and ending midway down her back. Absentmindedly Gabryl has been playing with the ends of it, as he presses his forehead against her shoulder blades.

Gabryl lets her hair go, and begins picking at the furry velcro on his shoes. They used to light up, and Raven promised she'd make them work again. His eyes are cast down when Octavia turns around to face him after a certain amount of silence has passed between them.

"They don't like me," he answers her question, although he really wants to go be in the group.

Octavia lifts his chin to look at her, and can't help but lose her strong composure at the softness in his dark brown eyes. His skin has healed tremendously with the ointments Abby lathers on him every night. But there's one particular scar that runs from his right ear to his chin that will always remain a different skin tone.

Although it's been months since he's been underground, the face of a bone thin child who watched her mouth with wide eyes as she spoke his language so perfectly has never left her mind. But looking down at his face, that now perfectly represent that of a cherub, she's struck with an emotion she hadn't felt before. And it frustrates her that she can't name it, as it floats around her chest and pokes at her ribs and lungs and heart.

"As long as you stay you, they don't have to like you Gabryl," she tells him.

"No 'Tavia," he sighs and she waits both patiently and curiously for him to continue, "they don't like me because of who my mommy and daddy are." Gabryl swallows the lump in his throat, "I try and talk to Ella at the farm space sometimes. But her dad says mean things to  _nomon_ and  _nontu_   _[dad and mom]_ and takes her away."

Gabryl is too young to notice Octavia's jaw tighten and shoulders tense, "What does Ella's dad say to Kane and Abby?" she asks through clenched teeth.

"Well one time he said he was  _sashpecies_  of them because they lie, but mommy and daddy do not lie."

"Sashpec- Oh,  _suspicious_!" Octavia shakes her head in understanding.

"Yes  _sashpecies_ , 'Tavia!" Gabryl exhales exasperated, "And then daddy and him said more big words," Gabryl waves his hands wildly in the air and Octavia bites back her giggle, "and then mommy said big words, and she wanted to hit Ella's dad! But she so small 'Tavia, that daddy had to pick her up so she could take me back to room. She got soooooo mad 'Tavia! She started talking really really really fast, in her  _startastic_  voice, and then put me to bed early. And then her and daddy got in a whisper fight because he wouldn't let her be mean to Ella's daddy. Then she got me up, and I slept in the big bed, and daddy slept in my small bed. Poor daddy, he was just being a daddy." Gabryl shakes his head from side to side, trying to catch his breath from telling the story in one big chunk.

Octavia knows she should be taking the child in front of her seriously, but the conversation definitely took a turn she was not expecting, and now she's picturing Abby telling off Ella's dad and Kane stepping in to make sure Abby doesn't punch Ella's dad, and then Abby getting mad at Kane for stopping her, and evidently making him sleep on Gabryl's child sized cot in the corner of their room. Abby is her hero. Case and point.

"I want to be your mommy when I grow up," Octavia tells Gabryl a big grin on her face.

"Mommy's small, but she acts big ' _Tavia_ , like really super big. Like a real  _gona_   _[warrior]_."

"And what did daddy tell her when she acted like a  _gona_  with Ella's daddy?" Octavia continues to pry tentatively.

"Well in the morning," Gabryl begins, "daddy told mommy:  _Hope o a miracle, yu en em laik hir, en so laik ai [Hope or a miracle, you and him are here, and so am I]._  Then I was squished like a bug in between both of them, cause she let daddy back on the bed."

Gabryl has now moved to Octavia's side and laid his head on her right arm. They watch as yoga has wrapped up, and the group of children begins a game of tag. Octavia watches the young girl with space buns running to try and tag someone with a big smile on her face, but Ella is far too slow. Octavia lets herself lean into the little boy next to her, and she sighs before telling him, "Ella looks nice, you should go play tag with her."

"But her dad-" Gabryl begins before Octavia cuts him off.

"But her dad is not here, and you are a nice boy," she shoves him up from his seat and the little boy looks at her for one last approval before he goes to join the group.

The teacher is wholeheartedly surprised with his participation but encourages it. Octavia watches as Gabryl runs at a much slower pace than their own games of tag, in order to let Ella catch him. As soon as he's been passed the torch, his speed is not so surprisingly lightning fast and it's easy for him to tag someone else. Octavia watches Gabryl help Ella run away from the current unlucky tagged child. But her mind has wandered to memories attached with a certain feeling of peace, that has taken long for her to find. So when her eyes look up at the sky through the atrium's ceiling, and she closes them to whisper, " _Through em hogeda, em ste well kom ai keryon. En em ste well kom me. [Through it all, it is well with my soul. And it is well with me],"_  she fails to see Ella handing Gabryl a soft partially dusty berry from the bottom of her pocket. It was meant as a gesture of kindness. As a gesture of peace. And at the young young age of five, a gesture of friendship.

* * *

 

Thanks for reading! Until the next chapter xxx


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